Who where aerates?

[ALPS]

What is the preferred source of oxygen? Does it need to be medical grade?

 

[Catfish]

The oxygen for brewing is like the water. If you're willing to breathe it it should be okay for brewing with. I dump my wort back and forth between two buckets a few times. It's worked so far.

 

[Orfy]

Do you think this idea is adequate. It'll save me shaking ar 5gallon carboy full of wort.

 

[El Pistolero]

What is the preferred source of oxygen? Does it need to be medical grade?

Most everyone here uses disposable oxygen tanks from the hardware store...they're with the welding supplies. Some filter it, but most don't. I don't think I've heard of anyone using medical grade O2.

 

[Truble]

I have just been agitating my brews (shaking the primary/long pours once the temp is below 80*F)...I have not graduated to O2 systems...

 

[Flyer]

I syphon from the kettle to the carboy, but leave the end of the hose at the top and let it drip. A nice slow flow from the top seems to work. I know there's a fair bit of bubbles after all of it's done.

 

[God Emporer BillyBrew]

I didn't do anything to aerate my first batch and it turned out fine. I've been doing it since, but I'm just saying I don't think it has to be rocket science. Stir it, shake it, pour it vigorously, use a tank...it's all good.

 

[SwAMi75]

The oxygen for brewing is like the water. If you're willing to breathe it it should be okay for brewing with.

Yeah, but you're a catfish. Those of us who live on land can't breathe water.

I've got one of those nifty O2 chargers, but I can't seem to find all the parts for it when I need it. I never think of it until it's too late to go hunt it all down.

I aerate by swirling the carboy some before pitching. They say this really doesn't do much, but it's better than nothing. It has worked for me.

 

[madrean]

The oxygen for brewing is like the water. If you're willing to breathe it it should be okay for brewing with. I dump my wort back and forth between two buckets a few times. It's worked so far.

so is oxidation NOT a concern as long as the wort is ? 80F?

ie, you can splatter, stir, etc. all you want?

but when you RACK to secondary, you DON'T want any aeration?

it seems from my limited understanding that aeration is important when you are getting your initial yeast wakeup going (activation)?

 

[El Pistolero]

it seems from my limited understanding that aeration is important when you are getting your initial yeast wakeup going (activation)?

Yeast need oxygen in order to multiply...you want them to have as much O2 as you can give them during the first 12-18 hours. Once the O2 is gone they switch over to turning sugar into alcohol...after that O2 will cause your beer to stale early. So yes you're correct, when pitching oxygen is good, when racking or bottling it's bad.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

from www.whitelabs.com
How can I increase the oxygen level in the wort?

Most homebrewers add oxygen into wort by shaking the carboy. This can only achieve 10-30% of desired dissolved oxygen levels. Commercial brewers force oxygen into wort using an inline aeration stone. Homebrewers can find oxygen stones at most homebrew shops.

yeast needs small air bubbles to work more effectivly, because they are easier for those little buggar's to consume. high gravity brews especially need to be oxygenated. makes for a healthier ferment and better tasting brew. do you have to, no. will it help the beer, yes. just another thing we can do as homebrewers to make our beer better. just my $0.02. :~)

 

[Orfy]

Will it make it noticably better or just get things going faster?

 

[drengel]

ive never used an o2 systemm, but after looking at them theyre not expensive, so i might grab one in the next couple months. i was fairly convinced that an o2 charger helps considerably after reading the post on yeast starters a while back.seems like not only will it get it going faster, youll get higher attenuation rates, maybe cleaner flavors.

 

[ALPS]

Will it make it noticably better or just get things going faster?

orfy--
Supposedly both, which is why I want to try it.

Upon further reading I've found medical oxygen has a wide range of purity, anywhere from 99.99% down to a minimum of 90%, with 93% and 96% being the more common. I assumed that medical grade would be more pure than industrial oxygen, but not so. Industrial oxygen is 99.5% pure.

Looks like that stainless steel aeration stone will be on an upcoming order.

 

[wild]

Most everyone here uses disposable oxygen tanks from the hardware store...they're with the welding supplies. Some filter it, but most don't. I don't think I've heard of anyone using medical grade O2.

I received a few medical O2 tanks when my mother-in-law past away (MSRIP) due to emphezima. I just put the stone on the other end of the hose and run the O2 for about 30 seconds. Prior to the tanks, after doing a partial boil, I'd pour 2.5-3 gallons of cold filtered water from 7' above the fermenter and when the wort temp had dropped, I'd pour it (roughly) into the fermenter as well. I noticed that the fermentation seemed to start a few hours earlier when using the O2.

Wild

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

Yeast need oxygen in order to multiply...you want them to have as much O2 as you can give them during the first 12-18 hours. Once the O2 is gone they switch over to turning sugar into alcohol...after that O2 will cause your beer to stale early. So yes you're correct, when pitching oxygen is good, when racking or bottling it's bad.

"Response from Dr. Clayton Cone:
The optimum time to add oxygen to the fermentation is about 12 - 24 hours into the fermentation.. Active Dry Beer Yeast(does) and re-pitched yeast (usually) have enough lipids for two to three generations. It is at that time the budding yeast can most efficiently use the oxygen to continue to bud and also produce enough lipids to protect itself against the higher levels of alcohol. This is especially true with high gravity brewing. In wine fermentation it is not uncommon to add oxygen to a stuck fermentation near the end of the fermentation when there has been inadequate oxygen added at the beginning. The yeast will not grow but will metabolize the oxygen to produce more lipids that will revive the elasticity or fluidity of the cell wall and allow the transport of the alcohol out of the cell to a safe lever and then begin to transport sugar into the cell again."

check out: Fortnight of yeast

14 hours is not a magic number but an approximation. Every fermatation will very.

I aerate my wort then leave it in the mixing bucket with spigot for 14-18 hours, then open spigot and dump into my carboy.

I've been using an interesting method of aerateion. Will post picks later. I use a sanitized hose form my tap ( our water is very clean, don't recomend this for everyone) then pinch the end a bit which created a water jet, I point this at teh wort and voila, about half the wort turns to foam.

 

[Tony]

I started using a small mesh strainer thats used for small drains to aerate my wort when transfering it to my primary carboy. It fits on top of the carboy neck perfectly, and I just hold my hose from the kettle drain on it, and as the wort passes through it, causes the wort to basically foam as it goes into the carboy. I was walking through Bed, Bath & Beyond with my wife, looking for amything I could use for brewing, and figured I could use it for a simple hop and sediment filter for my primary. When I used it for the first time, I was excited to see the wort foam as it passed through. Simple little trick. The company that makes them is called Drain-Net, and they have a web site as well.

Yeah, you have to hold your hose, but its worth it as it aerate the wort nicely, and catches hops and particles as well. Cost all of 3 bucks I think.

 

[ScottT]

Folks, anything short of pure oxygen just isn't going to get it done to the optimum level.

As per White labs site, "Most homebrewers add oxygen into wort by shaking the carboy. This can only achieve 10-30% of desired dissolved oxygen levels. "

You can shake it, strain it, splash it, put an aquarium pump on it. It just isn't going to be fully right unless you use the O2.

Just like making starters. Do you want your beer to be the best it can be? If so, do what it takes to make it so.

Otherwise, just use a plastic bucket and dry yeast straight from the pouch and splash it around the best you can and hope for the best. You'll still get drinkable beer but you probably won't want to present it Michael Jackson( http://www.beerhunter.com/ ) . You won't likely be winning any ribbons in competition. You'll be just brewing stuff to get a buzz as cheaply as you can. Hey if that's what you're after then go for it. Otherwise do it right.

 

[justbrewit]

scott, thanks a bunch for that link!!! i've been looking for a book by him for a while but couldn't remember what it was called. all of his books are on that site!!! thanks a million!!!

 

[Darth Konvel]

I'll have to disagree that O2 injection is absolutely necessary to make good beer, but it certainly makes a difference in yeast cell count.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

not necessary, but it helps improve the beer. just an option for the homebrewer......

 

[Orfy]

So is it the guys who use starters and 02 that need blow off tubes.
I shake and use dry yeast. It normally takes a day or so to get going and is finished in 4 days.

Maybe I;ll have to change something when I get to AG level.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

nope, i've never used a blow-off tube. but, i use a 6.5 gallon carboy and have control over my fermentation temperatures. so, no higher ferm temps=no over active fermentations that get get out of control.

 

[Orfy]

I'm not brewing this after noon so I'm just of to measure the capacity of my mash tun and Carboy.

I get all confused with US and UK gallons so I've decided I'm going to brew metric!

 

[Darth Konvel]

I get all confused with US and UK gallons so I've decided I'm going to brew metric!

Now that's just crazy talk

Seriously though, let us know how that goes. I've thought about switching to metric for my hop additions, but only because I hate fractions of ounces.

 

[Orfy]

Will do Lupus.

1oz is near enough 30g easy.

Us 1 g = 19l
UK 1 g = 23l
US 6g = 5g UK

Once I measuremy stuff I'll know whether to aim for 19l or 23l in the fermenter.

 

[El Pistolero]

nope, i've never used a blow-off tube. but, i use a 6.5 gallon carboy and have control over my fermentation temperatures. so, no higher ferm temps=no over active fermentations that get get out of control.

I would have used those exact same words two weeks ago...White Labs Irish Ale Yeast made me glad I had that blow off tube handy.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

hum? was that @ 66 degrees too?

 

[user 574]

hum? was that @ 66 degrees too?

I got a Belgium Wit that is blasting over at 68 degrees. Have only had two batches of 25+ total do this. I am only using a 6g carboy but I think this bugger would have blown over in a 6.5 as well. Guess it all depends on the mood.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

maybe so? guess i've been lucky.........
i've had a hefe v yeast blow-off my primary bucket before, but that was a warm ferment prior to my using 6.5 glass carboy...

 

[El Pistolero]

hum? was that @ 66 degrees too?

Pretty close I think...wasn't over 68. The way that thing was churning, I can't believe it would have made much difference if it was 60.

 

[Orfy]

I just checked. My carboy holds 23L to the shoulder so that's US 6 gallon So I guess total volume is 6.5g